Flat as a Pancake was the first studio release of the hard rock

Hard rock

Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...

 band Head East

Head East

Head East is an American hard rock band originally from South Central Illinois. The band was formed by vocalist John Schlitt, guitarist Mike Somerville, keyboardist Roger Boyd, bassist Dan Birney, and drummer Steve Huston. They met and formed the band while studying at the University of Illinois,...

. At first, the album was released independently on Pyramid Records. However when radio stations began to play the song "Never Been Any Reason," A&M Records

A&M Records

A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...

 signed the band and re-released the album in June 1975.

It is Head East's only album to be certified Gold by the RIAA.

Head East recorded the album at Golden Voice Studios in South Pekin, Illinois

South Pekin, Illinois

South Pekin is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,162 at the 2000 census and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:South Pekin was founded at around the turn of the 19th century...

.
The diner photographed on the back cover of the A&M reissue is the Rite-Way Diner at 9638 Olive Blvd, Olivette, Missouri

Olivette, Missouri

Olivette is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 7,737 at the 2010 census.-History:...

.

Track listing

1. "Never Been Any Reason
   Never Been Any Reason
   "Never Been Any Reason" is the first track on Head East's debut album Flat as a Pancake, composed by the band's guitarist, Mike Somerville. It is often considered Head East's signature song, peaking at #68 on the Hot 100, and continues to be played on classic rock radio stations in the US a...
   
   " - 5:10 (Mike Somerville)
2. "One Against The Other" - 3:47 (John Schlitt)
3. "Love Me Tonight" - 4:27 (Mike Somerville)
4. "City Of Gold" - 3:41 (Steve Huston)
5. "Fly By Night Lady" - 2:47 Steve Huston)
6. "Jefftown Creek" - 6:41 (Steve Huston)
7. "Lovin' Me Along" - 5:25 (Mike Somerville)
8. "Ticket Back To Georgia" - 4:02 (Steve Huston)
9. "Brother Jacob" - 3:10 (Steve Huston)

Chart performance

The album went to #126 on Billboard's Pop Album Chart

Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

, and was certified Gold by the RIAA on September 19, 1978, selling over 500,000 copies.

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1975	The Billboard 200	126

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1975	Never Been Any Reason Never Been Any Reason "Never Been Any Reason" is the first track on Head East's debut album Flat as a Pancake, composed by the band's guitarist, Mike Somerville. It is often considered Head East's signature song, peaking at #68 on the Hot 100, and continues to be played on classic rock radio stations in the US a...	Hot 100	68
1975	Love Me Tonight	Hot 100	54
1975	City of Gold	Hot 100	---

Personnel

• Roger Boyd - keyboards
  Keyboard instrument
  A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
  
  /vocals
  Singing
  Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
  
  
• Steve Huston - drums
  Drum kit
  A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
  
  /vocals
  Singing
  Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
  
  
• Mike Somerville - Guitar
  Guitar
  The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
  
  /vocals
  Singing
  Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
  
  
• Dan Birney - Bass Guitar
  Bass guitar
  The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
  
  
• John Schlitt
  John Schlitt
  John William Schlitt is known for his career as the lead singer of Christian rock band Petra from 1986 until the band's retirement in late 2005. Prior to joining Petra in 1986, Schlitt was the vocalist for Head East....
  
   - vocals
  Singing
  Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
  
  
• Steve Anderson- Back-up Vocals